I just played Bridgewater($50.00- quite a ride from Sarasota) and if they get the greens in shape it will be fun. There is not much worse(golf) than a good challenge spoiled by coarse, bumpy, patchy and predictably, slow putting surfaces. Although huge, you better have a good short game as just about every green is elevated and well protected. There are few trees and a ton of wind, but most of the holes are wide enough, even in the 30 mph I faced.
Sadly, another interesting Steve Smyers course with poor greens is Cypress Creek($37.00-exit 240). They swapped out their surfaces to (I think) Champion grass. Unless I am mistaken, this stuff sucks, period.
The University Club($50.00-exit 213, I think) has opened up for some public play but it's greens are, once again, less than fun to putt. See Bridgewater.
OakFord's($50.00-exit 210) greens were a step above all the above ^, but not as good as past seasons.
The Arthur Hill's course, River Strand($40.00- exit 220), has some interesting holes and very good putting surfaces, but is somewhat disjointed due to some incredibly long rides. Two nice touches, a Biarritz on the front and a rectangle green w/rectangle bunker at the par 5, 18th.
Sarasota National ($70.00-a few miles south of Venice on rt 41) was fun and the greens were OK.
Bobcat Trail($30.00- exit 179) is fun and it requires some thought, but they too swapped out their green surfaces and they are very slow, I tired out around the middle of the round.
The best greens for putting on any of the course I played are at Ron Garl's Kingsway GC ($45.00-exit 170), they were firm, fast, smooth, and the ball rolled where you aimed it. It's a private club that lost it's clubhouse and a few 1,000 trees in the last devastating hurricane, which is why they are open for some outside play. Another course that requires some thought.
One thing that most of these places had in common were very tight and firm fairways, you really need to be concious of roll. Also, most of the prices I quoted are afternoon rates.
Hope this was useful.